


Bridge

by FiveLeafClover



Category: Casualty (TV)
Genre: Car Accidents, Gen, Hypothermia, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-19 11:55:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14873300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiveLeafClover/pseuds/FiveLeafClover
Summary: When Cal met an old friend, he was glad to catch up with him- but their night was about to get a whole lot worse when they drive over a bridge. Prompt from Glittergirl12.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> [backdated fic, originally posted on fanfiction/net under the username InfinityAndOne, posted here 07/06/18]
> 
> Glittergirl12 sent me this idea, so shout out to you! Set after 'Series 29 Episode 29- King's Crossing'.

To say that the day was full-on would be an understatement. Not only had Cal's missing girlfriend turned up, she was arrested after Ethan called the police, and then Cal had provoked Ethan so much that Ethan started a fight between them- which ended up in Cal pinning Ethan down. What happened next- Cal expected even less. Ethan had said, "…because you're my brother, and I just will." That hit home. Cal and Ethan were caring brothers at heart.

Then Cal and Ethan had a chat- one which Cal never expected to have with his brother, but all he could think about doing now was forgetting the day's events by going to the pub. He knew not to get too drunk, but he fancied a drink…or two.

A glass later, and he noticed someone walking over to where he was sat. He thought he recognised this man, but he needn't say anything for the man asked him. "Cal, isn't it?" He questioned- a girl about 18 was trailing behind.

"Matt McMillan." Cal realised. "From the US!" He remembered that he and Matt worked in the same hospital a couple of years back- under placements. Then it clicked. Matt's daughter- Ellie was 16 back in the US. Which means she was 18. Cal had to say- it was good to see them after such a long time. Matt and Cal had grown to be good friends- and so did Cal and Ellie alike.

"Nice to see you again!" Matt said, shaking Cal's hand. Cal nodded in agreement, and gestured for Matt and Ellie to sit down. "You remember Cal, don't you?" Matt asked his daughter. Ellie studied the man sat in front of him.

"Yep, I remember him." She told her father confidently. Cal, Matt and Ellie continued to talk for a bit until Matt realised what the time was.

"We better be off." Matt told Cal sighing, who, in turn, looked at his own watch. Cal knew he better get going as well- he had to be up early for a shift the next morning. "It was good catching up with you!" Matt said, smiling.

"You too. Now to get a taxi!" Cal complained, laughing slightly. Cal really hated taxi's, but Ethan had the car and Cal had to go back to his hotel now that he wasn't living at Ethan's.

"We can give you a lift if you want." Matt suggested. Cal was going to agree, before he realised that Matt had been drinking,

"How much you had to drink?" He asked sceptically. Cal knew it wasn't much- but better to be safe than sorry.

"Half a glass. I'll be fine. I'm not drunk." Matt told him. Cal accepted this, and agreed to the offer that Matt proposed to him.

Cal had told Matt the name of the hotel he was staying at, and they were on their way back. Ellie was sitting in the back, while Cal was sitting in the front passenger seat. Cal noticed that Matt seemed to be swerving the car slightly. Ellie gaze seemed to fixed out the window for her to notice any different- but Cal could see Matt really didn't know what he was doing either. This was bad.

"Matt, what the hell are you doing?" Cal was close to shouting- his voice already raised. He had to consciously stop himself from shouting- so not to startle Matt. He believed Matt when he said he hadn't had much to drink- but now he was having second thoughts. Either Matt had lied- or he was an extreme lightweight.

There was no answer from Matt. Cal knew he had to get his attention somehow and even considered putting his hands on the wheel to guide them to a safer place. Cal looked at the road up ahead. It was quite peaceful- but he noticed a bridge. The worst possible scenario popped to Cal's mind. What if Matt swerved the car so much he crashed into the bridge and they plunged into the water? It was quite a distance away- and Cal was sure they would get to safety or stop before they reached that bridge.

Determined not to let that happen, Cal tried grabbing Matt's attention again. "Matt, seriously mate, pull over." He warned his old friend. Matt looked at him wide-eyed as if he had been on drugs. Cal silently cursed. It was possible Matt unknowingly had drugs in his system. This was not good. "Matt, pull over!" This time he did shout. It was obvious his friend didn't hear him. He looked ready to fall asleep behind the wheel- and Cal was concerned about their safety. All the while, Cal didn't notice how scared Ellie looked.

"Cal- what's happening with Dad?" Ellie asked from the back. She too had noticed the increased uneasiness of the car- and Cal's shouting. In truth, she was scared for her life- but she knew not to show it. That would only make things a whole lot worse. Then she spotted the bridge. If Cal answered her- she hadn't heard him.

"Ellie, Ellie!" Cal's voice broke her out of her thoughts. "Look at me." He commanded in a gentle and caring voice. "Has your Dad taken anything? Any drugs?" He clarified- not that Matt would, but he needed to be as certain as possible.

"No…no. He wouldn't. He hates drugs." She told him, mustering up all the bravery she had. Cal knew this too. He was seriously considering the possibility that Matt's drink had been spiked at the bar.

No one had time to stop what happened next. No one was able to. No one had the power to. Cal looked towards Matt, and in a split second saw his head fall to one side. His hands turned the steering wheel right round, and Cal and Ellie knew what was happening. Matt swerved the car and crashed into the bridge- destroying the feeble wall at the side of it. The car was half on the bridge, and half over the water. Any sudden movement and they would plummet down.


	2. Chapter 2

Cal could feel his heart thumping against his chest. He could hear screaming. Ellie was screaming. He turned his head and saw an unconscious Matt. The last thing they needed was for him to wake up and move around. Even though it would be brilliant if Matt woke. "Ellie!" Cal shouted to the 18 year old. "Ellie, can you hear me?" After a few seconds silence, an innocent and frightened voice spoke from the back.

"I can hear you." Cal couldn't see her, but could hear the desperation in her voice. "Is Dad okay?"

"Your Dad's unconscious, but he'll be fine. I need you to stay as still as possible, okay?" He asked gently. "Just, whatever you do, don't move." His voice was serious, and brought Ellie comfort in a way. This was when Cal cursed at the roads being empty. "Is your phone in an accessible place, Ellie?"

"Yeah." She answered simply.

"Okay, I need you to call 999 and ask for the fire service and an ambulance, okay?" It was this point in time that he wished Dixie and Iain one of the ambulance crew's to arrive. Then he thought of his brother. Oh sweet Jesus. His brother- what if they never finish that chat they were having? He could hear Ellie talking on her phone, and could only hope and pray that they were all going to be okay.

Ellie hung up, and Cal knew he had to reassure her as much as possible. "Ellie, it's going to be fine. Are you hurt anywhere?" He was sort of happy the doctor part of him was still very much awake.

"No, I don't think so." She answered- trying not to break down crying. Cal himself had tears in the corners of his eyes. They could so easily die this night.

The red phone rang. The red phone was never a good sign. Charlie answered it- his face morphed into one of shock. After receiving the message, he put down the phone and turned to the ED. "Can I have everyone's attention please?" He called out- waiting for everyone to stop what they were doing and listen. "Right, we have a car vs. bridge- with three casualties. By the way it sounds; the car could fall off the bridge and plummet into the water. They want a doctor on site as well." Charlie looked around and registered the shocked faces of his colleagues. Usually, he would ask Cal to go- but he wasn't on shift. The next best thing was Ethan. "We need RECUS clear for them. Ethan, would you mind going? Dixie and Iain are in the ambo waiting."

"Course not." He replied plainly, before rushing off to get prepared. The rest of the staff resumed what they were doing, and Connie and Zoe worked on clearing RECUS.

Cal could hear sirens. "See, Ellie. Things are looking up already!" He told her, as brightly as he could. "Ever been in an ambulance?" He questioned- trying to take her mind off everything.

"Nope, never." She replied- equally as cheerful. "Now I get to know what it feels like to jump a red light." She laughed slightly, as did Cal. He looked over to the driver- who slowly started to come round. All he could do was pray he wouldn't start moving suddenly.

"Matt. Matt, don't move. Whatever you do, don't move. It's Cal." He told him seriously. Matt obviously heard him because he immediately stopped moving- apart from lifting his head and looking tiredly into the eyes of his old friend.

"Wha…hap…ned…" He slurred. Cal was certain on the drugs theory now.

"Don't worry about that for now. Whatever you do, don't move." He warned him. Matt didn't move an inch. He felt the car move slightly, as did Ellie and Cal. This was where it got tricky.

"Wow." Ethan exclaimed as he jumped out of the ambulance and surveyed the scene in front of him. "Just…wow." He repeated.

"We better get them out." Iain spoke determined, but Dixie held his arm back- stopping him from running there.

"We get anyone out- and that car will go down." She told him. Iain knew where she was coming from- but he then saw Ethan rush off to the car.

"Caleb…" He spoke in shock- looking at his brother. "What the hell happened?" Iain and Dixie soon joined Ethan and stared towards the passengers.

"I think Matt's drink was spiked…" Cal told his brother. He had never seen Ethan look so worried in all his life. Iain made his way over to the driver, while Dixie started talking to Ellie.

"Matt…?" Ethan questioned- hoping it wasn't some randomer. He breathed a sigh of relief when Cal told him about Matt and the US. "How long you been here?"

"Not quite sure." Cal answered honestly. "Not that long, I don't think." He continued hesitantly. He looked towards Ethan- but saw the sheer panic etched on his face. "Ethan, what's up?"

"The back of your head is bleeding." He told him- wondering why Cal didn't say anything.

"The joy of running on adrenaline." Cal joked slightly. Now he thought about it- he did have a head ache. But- he wasn't going to let it faze him. "You know the only thing keeping this car on this bridge is Ellie- right." He whispered to his brother. Ethan nodded. "Get Matt out first."

"Cal, we need to secure this vehicle first." Ethan told him- even though he suspected his brother may be right.

"Look. If Matt has been drugged, he could become agitated, he could lose consciousness- and when he wakes he could thrash around. Hell- he could even have a seizure. It would be safer getting him out, now." Ethan nodded, running a hand through his hair and relaying the information to Iain and Dixie- who were too engrossed in Matt and Ellie to listen to the whole of Cal and Ethan's conversation.

"Right, okay. How're we going to get him out without causing much movement?" Dixie asked. No one needed to say anymore for the fire crew arrived. Ethan would have jumped with joy had the situation not been so serious. He looked at his brother- who looked scared. More scared than he'd ever done. Ethan vowed he would get his brother out. Whatever it took, Cal would come out. Alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder whether everyone will come out alive. To be honest, I'm still debating that. Hehe! Thoughts?


	3. Chapter 3

"Cal, how're you feeling?" Ethan asked his brother, while Iain went to talk with the fire crew. Cal turned his head to look at Ethan fully, and smiled ever so slightly- by means of reassuring his little brother that he was okay really.

"I feel brilliant..." He answered. Due to Cal's lifeless tone, Ethan didn't know whether his answer was meant to lighten the mood or be sarcasm, but he needed to know how Cal was feeling- properly.

"Seriously, Cal." Ethan persisted- hoping his stubborn brother would give in and actually be a patient.

"Not too great. I've got a headache." Cal told Ethan, seriously. Ethan, like Cal, hoped Cal's head injury wasn't too severe. It seemed to be bleeding- though not too heavily. Head injuries always look worse than they are. At least, that's what Ethan was hoping in his brother's case.

"Were you or Ellie knocked out at all, Cal?" Cal had the urge to tell Ethan to stop asking so many questions, but instead, shook his head- trying to hide the groan of pain that came from moving his head suddenly. It managed to escape, and Ethan looked worriedly at him.

Ethan was banking on the fact he wasn't knocked out and wasn't slurring words, but things could get worse. A lot worse. And quickly.

Meanwhile, Dixie was talking to Ellie calmly, so she didn't start panicking. In this situation, any sudden movement would cause the car to go down, and everyone was sure not to let that happen. Ellie knew this, and managed to focus on the paramedic more than anything else.

"So, how do you and your Dad know Cal, then?" Dixie asked-  _trying_ to take Ellie's mind off everything. Ellie knew that she was doing that, but she didn't mind. She liked talking over worrying and bottling it all up.

"When he was in the US, so were my Dad and I. Dad and Cal worked in the same hospital." She explained, looking at the paramedic who smiled in response. "I'm guessing you work with Cal, then?" She assumed.

"Yep." Dixie nodded, still smiling. "And I'm guessing he hasn't changed a bit?" It was more of a statement, but Ellie answered anyway.

"Not one bit." Both Ellie and Dixie giggled slightly, and Cal broke into their conversation. Iain and the other ambulance crew were yet to come back from talking to the fire officer.

"What you giggling about?" Cal enquired, smiling at the two with broad grins on their faces. They didn't have time to answer for Matt slurred something incoherent. "What was that?" Cal persisted to his friend.

"My foot is stuck." He slurred once more- weakly gesturing towards his right foot. It looks well and truly stuck between the break and clutch. Dixie looked worriedly towards Ethan, and he returned this look back. They knew this would make it 100 times harder to get him out of the car, and only hoped they could get him out sooner.

"Dixie, Ethan!" Iain called, gesturing for them to approach him and the fire crew. They obliged, leaving the car and three panicked passengers behind while the fire crew started to explain what they could do to get Matt out and secure the car.

In the seconds where disaster struck, everyone was powerless. Somehow, Cal had expected it. Somehow, that nagging feeling was the inevitable fate that awaited them all, but he didn't know how to stop it. He didn't have the power to stop it.

Ellie was too shocked- even to scream out of fear. She trusted Cal when he said that it was going to be fine. She knew they were words of a panicked man trying to calm down an equally panicked young girl- but those words brought her comfort.

Dixie, Iain, Ethan, and the other on-lookers watched as the car became unsteady. Everyone knew what caused it. They didn't have time to get Matt out before his seizure started. The seizure that caused little movement in the car, but even that little movement was enough for the car to become more unstable before it finally gave in and plummeted down into the water- sending its passengers to a very likely, very watery death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while for me to get this up. Real life decided to get in the way- hence why it is significantly shorter than the first two. The next chapter is longer, so don't worry!
> 
> Did you honestly expect me to get them all out to safety and they all escape with minor injuries? I did have this planned all along, and I was waiting for the right moment to bring it in! Yep, certainly a cliffhanger. Anyway, a review is always welcome!


	4. Chapter 4

Ellie knew, instantly, that there was a very good chance that none of them would get out alive. She wasn't the best swimmer- and she could barely hold her breath for more than half a minute. Her seatbelt was on, and the car was filled with water as it continued sinking. She didn't know what to do. Black spots assaulted her vision, and she knew she had to let out her breath eventually. She couldn't hold it much longer; she was using up what little energy she had to hold her breath and unbuckle the seatbelt. Her hands fiddled with it- she couldn't get it undone. Ellie succumbed to it and her world went black.

Cal felt the freezing water enter the car as the car plummeted down. All he could hear was the water, swirling around. He could tell they were going deeper- and knew he couldn't hold his breath for much longer. He unbuckled his seatbelt- albeit it did take him a couple of seconds. He flashed a glance at Matt who had stopped seizing up. He wasn't breathing. Cal didn't have time to do anything but unbuckle Matt's seatbelt. He hoped he would be able to get the doors open, go to the top for air, and then dive back down. The hoping was in vain as he could feel the urge to let his breath go. He knew Ethan would save them. That was his last thought before Cal was plunged into darkness.  _Ethan will come._

It had only been around 20 seconds, but those 20 seconds felt like an hour for Ethan. Upon watching the car go down- all he wanted to do was rescue the passengers. Rescue his brother. He couldn't stand the 20 seconds he stood waiting. His head darted around. There was a place where the passengers could be taken to safety. Where the water met the high wall. It would be easy enough to hoist them up.

Dixie and Iain saw Ethan frantically wrestle out of his jacket. They knew what he was planning to do. "Ethan, you can't go down there!" Dixie told him sternly- somehow she knew she was fighting a losing battle- but it didn't help to try. She stood in his way- preventing him from jumping in.

"I have to! Matt's stuck, Cal has a head injury, and Ellie is 18 years old. I don't rate their chances of getting out of there alive, high. Do you?" Ethan fought back.

"The water is freezing, Ethan. Its night- so it will be harder to see." Iain interjected. "How good of a swimmer are you anyway?" He continued skeptically.

"I'm am okay swimmer." Ethan told him-not really understanding whether to feel hurt or not. "But, he's my brother. Every second we talk, is more time for them to lose." Ethan was all but pleading with the paramedics. Dixie nodded, and stepped aside. She and Iain watched Ethan step up by the destroyed bridge, slip his glasses into his pocket, and dive in.

Ethan could feel the sheer coolness of the water-and the darkness of the sky certainly didn't help his vision. He couldn't see many things without his glasses, but they would only fall off in the water. His main priority was finding the car and its passengers.

He swam deep into its murky depths. Upon seeing the car, his luck ran out- as did his breath. He darted up to the top, took a deep breath, then started on his way down to the now located car- noticing how the cold water had already started to make him shiver.

All anyone over ground could do was watch and hope and pray. Dixie hoped they wouldn't end up with four casualties. Obviously Ethan would be very cold- she just hoped nothing more would come of it. Iain thought the same, but he suspected Ethan would- at least- come out with mild hypothermia.

Ethan peered inside the car- knowing his breath would run out very soon. Everyone had their eyes closed. No one was breathing. That much, Ethan could have guessed. He just hoped they could all be resuscitated. His priority was Matt- for he was in the worst condition out of all of them. He swam to the driver's side and forced open the door- amazing at how much resistance the water provided. Running out of breath, Ethan grabbed Matt's ankle- however weak Ethan was- and pulled it from where it was stuck.

He was grateful that Matt was safe, but his mind was still on his brother. He swam up to the top- gratefully gasping in air- before swimming to the side where the fire officers were able to hoist Matt up. One down, two to go. He noticed how he started shivering- his teeth chattering. He needed to get everyone out before anything bad could happen.

Taking probably his deepest breath yet, Ethan darted down to the bottom. He didn't know who to get out first. He didn't have the choice of sitting down, mulling it over, with cheese and beer. He just hoped his snap second decision could possibly save both their lives.

Ethan pulled open Ellie's door, than Cal's door- however weak and confused he felt he was now becoming. Then he knew he had to rise to the surface to get some much needed air into his lungs. He did just that, and in a matter of seconds, he was heading down again- still fighting back his shivering.

Ethan saw Cal had managed to undo his seatbelt- Ellie hadn't- so Ethan did it for her. He grabbed Ellie from the passenger seat and held her arm. He did the same with Cal. The water made them surprisingly light- but the drag was unbearable. Ethan was aware this was the most stupid way to get them to safety- but he had to do the thing that would make their survival rates just that little bit higher.

He couldn't be happier when they reached open air, but the adrenaline was wearing off and Ethan's shivering had become more violent. He swam them to safety- barely managing to help the fire crew hoist Cal and Ellie up- let alone try and get out himself.

Eventually he made it onto dry ground- but the coolness of the night and how wet he was had started to take hold. He watched what was going on with the two people he managed to save (Matt already having been rushed off to hospital).

Dixie and Iain stared down at Cal. He wasn't breathing. He was cold to the touch. They forcefully snapped themselves out of their trances and started to do everything in their power to save their colleague and friend.

It seemed like a miracle that Cal started breathing again- albeit he was still unconscious, but he was spluttering up water, and the paramedics could only hope that Cal would be okay. "Do you want to get Ethan?" Dixie suggested to Iain, while she and a fire officer started to put Calk in the ambulance. Iain nodded and made his way over to Cal's little brother.

Ethan saw that Cal seemed to be breathing and coughing up water. Ethan could only hope that it was a good thing. Ellie on the other hand had already shot off to hospital- he hoped he had done enough to save her. To buy her extra time. They had technically drowned. Ethan really didn't know much after that as he stopped shivering completely as he saw Cal being loaded into an ambulance. Iain's and Dixie's ambulance.

Iain approached Ethan- Dixie sat in the back of Cal's ambulance waiting for them. Iain saw Ethan swaying slightly. What worried him most was the fact that Ethan wasn't shivering, which meant it wasn't a simple case of mild hypothermia as he expected. What worried him was how serious Ethan's condition could be. Iain hoped that Ethan hadn't endangered himself too much when he rescued three people- three drowned people- from a trapped car that still lay underwater.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to have Hero Ethan…and then it obviously turned into hurt Ethan. To be fair- I'd be surprised if he got out with mild hyperthermia.
> 
> I've had to change when I upload everything. I'm going to have to aim to upload things twice a week as it's nearing the end of the school year and I've already started doing my second year of GCSE's, along with a couple of mocks coming up. Sorry, but it has to be done!
> 
> As always, please review? It means a lot!


	5. Chapter 5

Dixie sat in the back of the ambulance- willing Iain to hurry up with getting Ethan. Cal was unconscious- but he was breathing. It seemed like most of the water was out of his lungs now- but he was still cold to the touch and shivering violently. Dixie expected nothing less. She thought about Ellie and Matt. She hadn't known them for long- but Cal had. Matt wasn't in a good way. She knew that. His ankle and lower leg was badly cut. He already had a seizure and had to be incubated after being pulled out of the water. He was close to death's door.

Then there was Ellie. That poor 18 year old girl. Unconscious, hypothermic, nearly dead. She and Cal were in the same position. None of them would come out of this unscathed. If any of them did come out of it. One thing was for certain- Ellie and Cal stood a better chance of surviving than Matt did.

Footsteps getting louder drew Dixie's attention to the back of the ambulance. It was Iain guiding Ethan into it. Dixie handed Ethan a blanket. He was soaked through and stumbled around slightly. He seemed to be moving as if motorised. The same thing worried Dixie that had worried Iain. It wasn't a case of mild hyperthermia like they expected.

Ethan took the blanket gratefully and wrapped himself up in it- trying to find what little warmth he could get. His gaze drew to Cal- but he couldn't focus on it. One thing he knew- Cal wasn't awake. He was breathing- just not conscious. If he hadn't done enough to save any of them- he wouldn't know what to do.

The ambulance doors shut behind them as Iain clambered into the front of the bright yellow van. The cool night air was shut out but the darkened sky loomed over them. Dixie and Iain both hated shouts at night. Everything was harder to see, everything felt colder. It was the right mood for any ambulance pick up, though.

Darkness, coolness- the perfect metaphorical mood. Now it was just the waiting for dawn to break- for the sun to shine through the clouds and brighten up everything.

Then they were off, speeding through the night- heading for Holby. It was the perfect time for Dixie to warn Connie of just who was being brought it. By now, she suspected, Matt would nearly be there. It didn't hurt to warn them.

The red phone rang. Charlie looked towards it. First Connie gets arrested, now the red phone rings. Twice in one shift. That reminded him. Ethan should have been back from the shout by now. He wondered if something bad had happened on his shout.

"Hello?" He said through the phone- dread seeping into his voice. He hated picking up the red phone for fear about what may come through the other end- especially now Connie wasn't there.

 _"Charlie!"_  Dixie spoke relieved. She hoped it would be Charlie.  _"About this shout that you sent Ethan on…"_  She started. Charlie let out an audible sigh. This wouldn't be good. " _…the car that crashed into the bridge fell into the water."_ She explained, hastily.

"Oh crap." Charlie muttered under his breath. "Did the casualties get out in time?" Dixie sort of wished he'd let her finish. That wasn't the worst part of the news she would be giving.

 _"No…not exactly."_  She hesitated. This was the worst part.  _"When we arrived, the three casualties in the car kind of shocked us…it was Cal… and his friend- Matt… and Matt's daughter- Ellie. She's only 18."_  She stuttered. Charlie looked round his department. The bustle of activity and everyone who didn't yet know of what had happened. This would hit them hard.

"Hang on…" He started- realising something crucial. "They went down with the car, didn't they? Are they all out?" The worry was unmistakable.

 _"Ethan managed to dive in the water and get the three of them out."_  This time, Charlie's sigh was one of relief and not dread or frustration.  _"Matt should nearly be there. He's not in a good way. Ellie and Cal soon after. Ethan isn't in a good way either- seems more serious then mild hyperthermia."_  She informed him.

"Right. Well…er…see you soon, I guess." He ended the call and looked around once more- dreading the moment of telling them and preparing his team. He sighed again- audibly. Last time he was this worried about giving them information was a mere 7 months ago when half their team was involved in a crash. Even though only two members of their team were coming in this time- Cal's friends were and, by the sounds of it, not in a good way.

He cursed under his breath and mentally prepared himself for the words he would have to repeat to the staff at Holby ED. This would be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally I have this chapter up! It has been a while, but finally! I hope you enjoyed it. It was more of a filler- hence why it is significantly shorter. I do aim to make my chapters over 1,000 words, but, sometimes, it just isn't possible! Anyway, thoughts on this chapter?


	6. Chapter 6

"Right, can everybody please come here?" Charlie called to the department. If Connie's arrest wasn't enough to shake them, this certainly would be. He saw the expected faces awaiting the news he would say. He stared at a bit of dirt on the floor- hoping it would open up and swallow him whole. Why was it always him that had to deliver this news? Was Holby determined to give him another heart attack or something? He blew out a breath and prepared himself. "As you know, there was a car vs. bridge that Ethan was sent to." He shuddered as he recalled what he himself had done. He'd unknowingly sent Ethan to Cal- and they were both harmed. "Unfortunately, the car went down into the water."

"Is everyone okay?" Robyn butted in- some people looking even more expectantly at Charlie. Hesitating slightly, Charlie continued.

"Before I get to that," Stalling. Charlie was stalling. "The three casualties were our own Caleb Knight, his friend Matt and Matt's 18 year old daughter, Ellie." He stopped when he heard everyone either sigh or groan. "Anyway, back to Robyn's question. Apparently they all got out as Ethan managed to dive in and get them." He allowed the corners of his mouth to twist into a small smile. He'd never expected Ethan to be the hero type. "Matt is nearly here, and Cal and Ellie should be along after. Apparently Ethan had got something a little more serious than hypothermia, so we need to watch him and warm him up." He instructed, sounding as professional as he could.

The team dispersed and Charlie stood in the same place he started in. It was times like this he really wished Connie was there.

This was it. The ambulance pulled up and Matt arrived. No one knew Matt, but he was Cal's friend, and they had to do more than they ever would. For Cal's sake.

The yellow doors opened and Rita, Zoe and Robyn saw something that made their heart break. It always did. Whenever they saw a paramedic doing CPR on someone, their hearts seemed to physically hurt. It was easier if they flat-lined in their presence- they had more of a chance to save them. If they flat-lined before they arrived at the ED, they had to call it sooner, they had to call it when they hadn't had a proper chance to do their bit.

The paramedics explained Matt's awful condition as they wheeled him through to RECUS. Zoe continued taking over Matt's CPR as Rita watched the monitors and Robyn took over bagging. He'd been down for 15 minutes. They still had time. He wasn't dead until he was warm and dead. He wasn't warm yet, so they weren't going to give up on him.

"Do you think he can be saved?" Rita asked the worn out Zoe after they had continued for 10 minutes. Zoe looked up at her and gestured for her to take over. After doing so, Zoe answered her question.

"I don't think so. But we have to try. What's his core temperature Robyn?" Robyn checked then answered solemnly.

"Only 28 degrees, Zoe." They all knew they would probably have to stop trying soon. He'd been down 25 minutes, and his core temperature wasn't rising much.

"Pulse check." Zoe stated. Rita stopped chest compressions and waited for Zoe. She looked over at the monitor and saw nothing, she looked back at Zoe and saw her shake her head. "Continue CPR." So she did. They did. They kept trying.

Minutes went by. Continued cycles of CPR, continues pulse checks, and still nothing. They knew the possible spiking of the drink had something to do with Matt's condition. It really wasn't improving though. They knew he wasn't going to come out of this.

"What do you think?" Rita questioned Zoe as Robyn started CPR and she took over bagging.

"Er…even if we do resuscitate him- his core temperature isn't what I'd like it to be and his brain has been starved of oxygen for around 35 minutes, he possibly has drugs in his system…" She trailed off. She hated calling it. But, it had to be done. Robyn followed her train of thought and immediately opposed.

"No. We have to continue. He has a daughter!" Robyn told them. They knew, but they needed reminding. "10 more minutes then. Make it 45 minutes." She persisted.

Zoe looked at Rita and Rita nodded. "Okay, 10 more minutes. If he's still down then I'm calling it. No question about it." Zoe finalised. Robyn nodded as annoyed as she was. That poor 18 year old daughter would be left without a father. They tried contacting Matt's wife, but she died when Ellie was born. Ellie couldn't lose her father now, they had to keep going.

So they continued. They were tired, worn out and not getting anywhere with Matt. They knew Cal and Ellie had been brought in but moved to HDC1 and HDC2- partly because they didn't need to see Matt. Ethan had gone with Cal and they were still trying to save the man lying dead in front of them.

"10 minutes, Rita. Stop." Zoe commanded gently to the nurse who sadly stepped back. Robyn removed the bag and Mask from Matt and they all stood back. Zoe stared into Matt's face, dreading the aftermath of this horrible situation. They still had to make sure Ellie and Cal came out. Yes, they had a much better chance of surviving, but it was still going to be close. Zoe looked at the time and stated Matt's time of death. She hated doing this, but, it had to be done. "Time of death, 1:15."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't mind killing of characters if they are OCs and not too important or fleshed out. I mean, if I'd developed this a little more and we'd got to know Matt, I probably would have considered not killing him off. But, I suppose that's life. What an unfortunate phrase to use…
> 
> Anyway, sorry for the long overdue chapter, school became a little more important and damaged my imagination for a short while!
> 
> Thoughts?


	7. Chapter 7

Cal didn't know what was happening to him. He felt cold, but warm. It was like he couldn't breathe, but he could. It was too confusing for words. He was vaguely aware of people talking to him, asking him questions. He was too weak to speak or respond. It felt like limbo.

Dylan and Lily, along with Lofty, wheeled the stirring Cal through to HDC1 to avoid the resuscitation of Matt currently taking place in there. He looked like he was awake, but wasn't responding to their talking. Charlie tried to take Ethan through to a cubicle, but he insisted on staying with Cal. At least he was warmer, even though he still didn't look like he was very  _'with it'_  at present.

So, Charlie allowed Ethan to sit down on a chair in HDC1 and see to him there- all the while, Ethan was watching, eyes like tunnels, what was happening with Cal.

"Okay, let's get his wet clothes off of him and warm him up." Dylan instructed, and the team set about doing just that, managing in 15 minutes, to get Cal a little warmer and more responsive.

"How are you feeling?" Lily asked comfortingly.

"Rough…" Cal breathed, struggling to talk. He already used up a lot of his energy in trying to stay awake. Lily smiled warmly at the doctor, and Cal found a sense of comfort it this action.

"You will be for a while, but I think you're getting better." Dylan told him in his usual monotone voice.

Ethan watched the slight conversation Cal had with Lily and Dylan. Feeling more like himself, Ethan could appreciate the warmth of the ED more than he had ever done, and the fact Cal was okay put the icing on the cake.

Cal was sleeping in a side room when Ethan decided to see him. He agreed to being seen to himself after he was getting over the initial coldness of himself. He'd heard about Matt and Ellie. Matt died. Ethan could have saved him, but he didn't. Ellie was okay, though. Something he was thankful for. Ethan knew Cal would want to know, and Ethan wanted to be the one to tell him.

Cal heard movement in the room and cracked his eyes open to see who it was. Ethan. "Hi…" Cal croaked.

"Hey." Ethan whispered. He hated seeing Cal like this. His normally strong brother looked so weak and vulnerable. It broke his heart. "How're you feeling?" Cal looked at his sarcastically. "Sorry, stupid question." He laughed slightly, making Cal smile. He was already loosing energy, but he fought with sleep to talk with his brother.

Ethan could see Cal wouldn't last much longer, and needed to tell him what happened. "The car fell in. I'm sure you know that." Cal nodded ever so slightly. "All three of you managed to get out." Cal sighed with relief.

"How?" He muttered

"I dived down." Cal would have laughed in spite of himself if he hadn't been feeling so week.

"Good on you." He praised his younger brother. "What about…Matt and Ellie…?" This was the part that Ethan dreaded.

"Ellie's fine, she's sleeping. I'm sorry Cal. Matt…Matt didn't make it." Ethan hung his head, but raised it again when he felt a hand grab hold of his weakly.

"Did he wake…up at all?" Cal asked. Ethan shook his head. "No…pain." He concluded.

"No pain." Ethan echoed. "I'm sorry, Cal." Cal looked mildly surprised.

"Wasn't your…fault…" Cal was getting increasingly overcome with weariness by now, but he needed to tell Ethan that. "No…one's….fault." Ethan kind of believed it. He was still at the point where Cal seemed right about nearly everything. If it truly was his fault, then Cal would blame him. Ethan smiled.

"Get some rest, I'll be back later." Ethan concluded. He turned to leave, but Cal's grip tightened- albeit, not much.

"Stay…please…" Cal all but pleaded. Ethan nodded and sat down on a seat next to Cal's bed, still holding his hand.

"On one condition." He bargained. Cal looked at him confusingly. "You don't move out." Ethan couldn't bear to lose his brother.

"You…can't…get…rid…of…me…that…easily…nibbles…" Cal breathed; finally succumbing to the exhaustion he felt as he drifted off to sleep.

Ethan smiled at the gentle rise and fall in his older brother's chest. It shook him to the core to think that he nearly lost Cal this night, but one thing was for certain, they would stick by each other until the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has ended. I kind of lost faith in this story after I couldn't think of what to write. It doesn't read to well, and it's not that great, but it is the end!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who favourited, followed, and to MINNIE4114, CBloom2, Glittergirl12, GypsyAbby, niamhmcshane22, Tanith Panic, teeloganroryflan, Jinxy13112, CasualtyFanForever81, Guest, Is-there-shoewhere-x, Imagine-Hope123, lydiashybrid, TheAtomicCheesepuff, Becs2202, susnetstargazer, and Gillian Kearney Fan who reviewed. And, of course, to Glittergirl12 who PM'd me the idea in the first place.
> 
> Please review for one final time? I'll see you soon!
> 
> ETWentHome

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading the first chapter of 'Bridge'! Thoughts?


End file.
